Replacing actual big leaguers, bad as they may be, with minor league fodder just because they 'can't be any worse' is exactly how you end up with the 2007 White Sox. At least Adam Dunn will still give us 40-odd HR by the time the season is played out. In a down year like this one I'll take that over watching Andy Gonzalez, Luis Terrero and Danny Richar any day of the week.

Seriously, how does a big market franchise ever let a year like that happen, much less so soon after winning a World Series?

Yes they did. Even the scrubs they brought in to replace the guys who got injured got injured.

edit: Also, the bullpen got dismantled and imploded simultaneously.

That was Kenny's bunch of young dudes who throw hard out experiment wasn't it? IIRC it led to the infamous, "greatest bullpen in league history" thread in early May or something. Shortly after that they fell off a cliff and just kept falling...

That was Kenny's bunch of young dudes who throw hard out experiment wasn't it? IIRC it led to the infamous, "greatest bullpen in league history" thread in early May or something. Shortly after that they fell off a cliff and just kept falling...